Suunto Ambit 2 GPS Watch

Sometimes the practical application of technology can be a wonderful thing and every once in a while a product comes along which is superb. So let me introduce the Suunto Ambit 2.

No? I hadn’t heard of them either, but the founder, Tuomas Vohlonen invented the liquid-filled compass after which Suunto was born and they have been making precision outdoor sports equipment in Finland ever since. Tuomas was keen on orienteering and his products include watches specifically for athletes, explorers and mountaineers, so now you know why I bought myself an Ambit!

A WATCH AND MORE

To call it a watch is an understatement since it does so much more, with GPS way-point navigation, 3-D compass, accurate barometric altitude gauge as well as barometer, thermometer and optional heart-rate monitor too, which monitors your vitals at the same time.  It is robust and water-resistant to 100m with a rechargeable battery. Not only does it record all this for you, it also displays your journey so you can return to way points either via the route you came or as the crow flies…it also tells the time and has an alarm! As you can see, calling it a watch doesn’t do it justice!

Imagine you were hunting overseas and left camp to be taken off the map into a wilderness area driving off-road for a day. Set the camp as a way point before you leave and set the watch running – it takes just a few seconds. Later you spot something you want to hunt, so the vehicle is stopped and you set another way point on your watch – it’s a press of a button and off you go!

You can set multiple way points as you go until you successful hunt and kill a beast, at which point you set another! If you have skinners following in a support vehicle, use the GPS to get the latitude and longitude and they can find your beast while you continue or use your Ambit to retrace your steps back to the vehicle again and then back to the fallen trophy – all via the watch, amazing!

PLUG & PLAY

Once you get back, simply connect your Ambit to your computer and it will download your expeditions to the Movescount website. This will include all the details of your hunt – time/date to the altitude, barometric pressure, temperature, duration and route taken. This is displayed in a number of formats but possibly most impressive is the way it overlays your route onto a contoured map. I’ve provided a summary of a morning in the field baiting for Black Bears which I completed daily during a recent visit to Quebec. Here you can see an example of the data it recorded and how that information appears including the map – impressive stuff!

There’s always a down-side to these things and the battery will need recharging regularly if all the functions are being used constantly, but Power Monkeys or a cigar-lighter accessory can be used for USB-based charging while in the field, Aside from that, it’s a great device with some very useful applications, and it also tells the time!

FOR - Useful piece of kit for the serious outdoorsperson
AGAINST - Not Cheap
VERIDCT - A practical navigation aid